Arata Itsuki hadn't expected to be summoned by the Third Hokage himself.
In the past, whenever there was a mission, it was always his jōnin squad leader who came to deliver the orders.
As a tokubetsu jōnin, Arata didn't even have the authority to lead a team of his own—especially not in these war-torn times.
Even getting an audience with the Hokage was a rarity.
Though confused, he didn't ask questions. He simply followed the ANBU in silence.
When they entered the Hokage's office, Arata noticed something unusual—Hiruzen Sarutobi was alone. None of his former teammates were present.
Is this going to be a solo mission? Arata wondered.
His guess was soon confirmed. The Third Hokage looked up from his papers and spoke in his usual measured tone:
"The patrol unit stationed near the Land of Wind border is short-handed. I reviewed your record—you may only be a Tokubetsu jōnin, but your performance has been excellent. So I've decided to send you as reinforcement."
Arata had taken patrol assignments before, but this was the first time he'd been sent alone.
Hiruzen's words sounded flattering, but if Arata really was so capable, why hadn't anyone "noticed" him until now?
Suppressing his suspicion, he asked carefully,
"What about my teammates, Hokage-sama? If manpower's short, wouldn't sending all four of us be more effective?"
Hiruzen gave a faint, almost apologetic smile.
"Your teammates have already been dispatched to the border shared with the Land of Rain. The situation there is... equally unstable."
[Ding! Given the host's situation, the system has generated three options!]
[Option 1: Accept the mission and slack off at the front lines. Reward: 10,000,000 ryō.]
[Option 2: Reject the mission and stay near Tsunade to build affection. Reward: Flying Thunder God Jutsu.]
[Option 3: Accept the mission and eliminate the Sunagakure's intelligence division. Reward: Complete Kamui.]
[The system will determine your chosen option based on your actions.]
Arata's eyes lit up.
He'd barely had time to enjoy the benefits of his Supreme Gift Pack, and the system was already offering another quest.
He glanced over the three options.
The first one wasn't even worth considering—10 million ryō? Was the system trying to insult him?
But the other two… both were extraordinary.
Two of the most broken space–time jutsus in the entire shinobi world—Flying Thunder God and Kamui.
Either one could skyrocket his strength.
After thinking it through, Arata made up his mind.
Rejecting the mission wasn't wise right now. He might have gained power, but he hadn't yet turned that power into influence—or recognition.
Accepting the assignment could be a chance to change that.
If he managed to take down the Suna's intelligence unit, he might finally earn a name for himself in Konoha.
"Understood. I'll depart for the Land of Wind border immediately."
"Good," the Hokage said simply. "You're dismissed."
---
Outside the Hokage's office, Arata's expression darkened.
He could smell the stench of a setup.
Just as he'd gotten closer to Tsunade, he was suddenly being sent to a dangerous border mission? Too coincidental.
Especially considering that, up until recently, he'd been left idle for more than half a month.
He couldn't help but recall what had happened to Kato Dan after he'd gotten close to Tsunade in the original story—and a chill ran down his spine.
Still, Arata wasn't afraid.
He wasn't the same powerless man anymore. With the power of the Thunder Fruit, danger didn't scare him—it motivated him.
Before leaving the village, though, he decided to stop by Tsunade's place to say goodbye.
Who knew how long this mission would keep him away? Besides, it was the perfect chance to raise her affection a little more.
He knocked on her door several times—but there was no answer.
Just as he was about to push the door open, it finally swung inward.
Tsunade appeared, frowning, not even looking up before snapping impatiently:
"Kato Dan! I told you I'm busy these days! Stop pestering me already!"
She froze mid-sentence as she finally registered who stood in front of her.
Her face flushed instantly.
"Ah—Arata! I'm so sorry, I thought it was Kato Dan again…"
Arata blinked, then smiled faintly as realization dawned.
The meeting had only ended not long ago, and already that guy had come knocking again?
Persistent fool.
Unfortunately for Kato Dan, his timing couldn't have been worse. He'd already missed his chance—and now he'd only end up annoying Tsunade further.
"I'm heading out on a mission," Arata said softly. "I wanted to see you before I left."
Tsunade's expression immediately shifted, worry flickering across her face.
She was known as a jinx—a "star of misfortune."
Those close to her always seemed to meet tragedy. Her parents… her comrades… too many had fallen.
"A mission? To the front lines?" she asked, voice trembling slightly. "Why would they send you there all of a sudden?"
Arata could tell how tense she was.
He smiled, his tone calm and teasing.
"You're worried about me, aren't you?"
As he spoke, he stepped forward slowly, closing the distance between them until Tsunade's back brushed against the wall.
She froze. Despite her strong personality, she was still an 18 year old girl—and the closeness made her heart race uncontrollably.
She'd always had a soft spot for Arata.
He'd comforted her more than once in her lowest moments, always patient, always there.
But today he seemed different—stronger, more confident, more… compelling.
His handsome face was only inches away from hers now, and even Tsunade couldn't deny the flutter in her chest.
"I… I…"
She stumbled over her words, cheeks burning.
Arata smiled inwardly. So she really does have feelings for me.
Looks like supporting her back at that meeting was the best choice I ever made.
But instead of taking advantage of the moment, Arata simply pulled out a notebook from his cloak.
"Here. I organized some notes for you—plans for the medical system, ideas for training methods, and some concepts for new medical ninjutsu."
Tsunade blinked, caught completely off guard.
For a moment, she'd thought he was going to… something else. But no—he was far more serious and thoughtful than that.
Taking the notebook from his hand, she flipped through a few pages—and her eyes widened in surprise.
Detailed frameworks, resource allocation plans, even proposed techniques like the Mystical Palm Jutsu and Chakra Scalpel—
It was all there.
Every line reflected the same vision she had… and went beyond it.
"Arata… you wrote all this yourself?"
Her voice trembled with disbelief and admiration.
The notebook wasn't just helpful—it was revolutionary.
For the first time, Tsunade felt that she wasn't alone in her ideals. Someone truly understood her dream—and even helped her bring it closer to reality.